Which devices will work with Matter? What we know so far
Matter is designed to bring the smart home together, and big brands including Google, Amazon and Apple are making plans for compatibility.
Matter, an upcoming smart home protocol aiming to unify device communication across platforms, is slated to be released in 2022. According to the Connectivity Standards Alliance, this could be as early as the first half of 2022.
During CES 2022, dozens of big brands have pledged support for the new standard. Here's a rundown of what's been announced thus far, according to Ted Miller of Ted Miller Group, representing the CSA.
CES Matter announcements
CES week brought lots of announcements of brands pledging their support for Matter and outlining plans for new and existing products that will work with the protocol upon its release.
Arlo Technologies: The DIY home security developer announced support for Matter and joined the Matter Working Group.
Amazon: Amazon announced more Matter support with new developer tools to enable Frustration-Free Setup in its Matter-certified devices and allow customers to control smart home devices without an internet connection using Alexa. This will make it easier for Alexa smart home partners to support Matter over Thread.
Aqara (Lumi): Lumi announced integration of Matter into its existing hubs through OTA software updates. Matter will be supported in Lumi's newest wall switches and smart plugs. Support is also coming to existing Zigbee-based products via an OTA update.
Belkin: Belkin announced Matter and Thread support for its WeMo home-automation product line.
Comcast: Comcast announced that its xFi Advanced Gateway Wi-Fi router will support both Zigbee and Matter.
Eve Systems: Eve announced Thread support for the Eve Room sensor and 10 Eve products now support HomeKit over Thread. The company expects its full lineup of 15 products to have Thread support in early 2022. It also announced new blinds and an outdoor floodlight cam that will add Matter support.
GE Lighting: Announced Matter support for its Cync product lineup.
Google: Announced Fast Pair, amid continued support plans for Matter.
LG: Announced it will be supporting Matter in its smart home and appliance products.
Mui Labs: Mui Labs, maker of the wooden smart display, announced Matter support.
Nanoleaf: Nanoleaf firmware updates for Shapes, Elements and Lines will provide support for Thread over HomeKit devices, including the Nanoleaf Essentials Bulb and Lightstrip, Apple TV 4K and multiple Eve products (Thermo, Switch, Energy, Aqua, Weather, and Door and Window Sensor). Nanoleaf says it will add support for Matter for its current and future lineup via Thread.
Sengled: The smart lighting company, which makes Zigbee and Wi-Fi smart bulbs, pledged support for Matter.
Schlage: A new Schlage Encode Plus Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt includes Thread support. The lock-maker will make its hardware ready to support Matter when available.
SmartThings: Samsung's smart home brand announced a new Home Hub that will have support for Matter.
Veea: Veea announced it will adopt Matter as part of its new Stax smart hub hardware and Stax Home Smart Home-as-a-Service offering.
Past announcements
Several companies began announcing Matter compatibility plans long before CES. Here's what we already knew going into this year's tech showcase.
Amazon: Announced in November support for Matter on most of Echo product line: Shows, Dots, Studios and Flexes. Amazon also announced enabling local control of Matter devices in the home using Alexa. There will be support for Matter over Thread across the majority of new and existing Echo and Eero devices.
Apple: Apple announced support for Matter in the HomeKit framework in iOS, iPadOS and TVOS.
Eve Systems: During an October press event in Germany, Eve announced broad support for Matter across its existing smart home product lineup and for future products.
eWelink (Coolkit): The company announced integration of Matter into its portfolio, starting with wall panels and with plans to expand.
Google: Google announced support for Matter on Android and Google Nest devices including the Nest Wi-Fi, Nest Hub Max and second-generation Nest Hub. Android will get native support for Matter through Google Play services.
Infineon: The company announced in December its first multiprotocol system-on-chip family with support for the Matter protocol for smart home designs.
Nanoleaf: The smart lighting company announced a new product in November, Nanoleaf Lines, and said in the announcement it would be upgradable to Matter.
Nordic: The company announced in December that it would demo at CES 2022 its nRF52 and nRF53 SoCs supporting Matter's adoption for smart home products.
Philips Hue (Signify): Over the summer, Philips Hue announced that the Philips Hue Bridge smart lighting hub will be automatically enriched with Matter, making all connected Philips Hue products compatible.
Samsung/SmartThings: Samsung announced in October a complete adoption of Matter across Samsung's Galaxy devices, televisions, Family Hub appliances and SmartThings hubs.
Schneider: The company announced that existing and new Wiser devices based on Zigbee will join the Matter ecosystem using the "bridge" functionality of upgraded Wiser Hubs.
Silicon Labs: In December, Silicon Labs announced Ultra-Small System-in-Package for 802.15.4 Mesh and Multiprotocol Connectivity -- including Zigbee and Thread.
What exactly is Matter?
Matter is a new way for smart home devices to connect and communicate with each other. It's a wireless, IP-based standard that got started as Project CHIP, for Connected Home over IP, in 2019. Apple, Google, Amazon and Samsung were on board at very early stages, aiming help to create something that will work for everyone.
The idea is to create a communication standard that doesn't silo devices into specific hubs or smart home platforms. You would, in theory, be able to use your Amazon devices with your Google Assistant or Google Home app and so on.
When Matter debuts, it will be running on Wi-Fi and Thread, as well as using Bluetooth LE. That's why the first step for many of the companies above was to announce Thread integration for their devices. That allows them to work with Matter, and Matter allows them to work with more smart home platforms and voice assistants.
"This is a big bet," said Tobin Richardson, president and CEO of CSA. "We need a common language and a common interoperability standard that Matter is going to deliver, so this is the long-term solution."
It can all feel very in the weeds for the average consumer (and the average tech journalist), but the long and short of it is that device makers and smart home brands will need Matter support to keep up with the future of smart home tech. If you're just getting into the smart home or adding more devices to your home, check on Matter compatibility. It's going to... matter.